Front structure for the body of a passenger car as well as passenger cars

Abstract

The invention relates to a front structure (4) for a body (3) of a passenger car (1), with at least one wheel housing (9) which has a receiving area (10) for receiving a front wheel (8) of the passenger car (1), a first longitudinal member (11) adjoining the receiving area (10) inwards in the transverse direction of the vehicle, a part (12) of an end wall (13) of the front structure (4) adjoining the receiving area (10) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle to the rear and outwards in the transverse direction of the vehicle to the first longitudinal member (11), a body dome (15) adjoining the receiving area (10) upwards in the vertical direction of the vehicle as a first structural element, and a second longitudinal member (14) arranged above the first longitudinal member (11) in the vertical direction of the vehicle and adjoining the receiving area (10) upwards in the vertical direction of the vehicle as a second structural element.The wheel housing (9) has a protective element (16) that is separate from the front wall (13), separate from the first longitudinal member (11) and separate from the structural elements.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a front-end structure for a body of a passenger car according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention further relates to a passenger car.

[0002] DE 10 2014 018 760 B3 discloses a vehicle body with a front structure comprising at least one longitudinal member and a wheel housing associated with this longitudinal member, which includes a front vehicle wheel. DE 198 35 705 A1 discloses a vehicle body as known. Furthermore, DE 10 2012 022 904 A1 discloses a protective device for the front crumple zone of a passenger car in a frontal collision with an obstacle. DE 10 2023 003 722 A1 discloses a vehicle body structure. JP 2007-045 352 A discloses a shock absorption structure for a vehicle. US 2022 / 0 009 433 A1 discloses a system for improving the safety of a motor vehicle in an accident. EP 1 512 615 A1 discloses a light-tight body part with an integrated electroluminescent film.

[0003] The object of the present invention is to create a front-end structure for a car body and a passenger car with such a front-end structure, so that a particularly advantageous crash behavior can be achieved.

[0004] This problem is solved according to the invention by a front-end structure with the features of claim 1 and by a passenger car with the features of claim 6. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0005] A first aspect of the invention relates to a front-end structure for the body of a passenger car. This means that the passenger car, also referred to as a vehicle, motor vehicle, or motor car, whose interior, also referred to as the passenger compartment, passenger compartment, or cabin, is formed by the body in its fully manufactured state, has, in its fully manufactured state, the body, also referred to as the body shell or body-in-white, and thus the front-end structure, which is part of the body. Most preferably, the body is a self-supporting body. The front-end structure has at least one wheel housing, which is also referred to as the first wheel housing. When the wheel housing is mentioned before and below, unless otherwise specified, this refers to the first wheel housing.In particular, the front end structure has two wheel arches: the first and a second. These wheel arches are located on opposite sides of the vehicle, and thus on opposite sides of the front end structure, when viewed from the vehicle's transverse direction. From a rear-to-front perspective, particularly from the driver's point of view, the first of these sides is the left side and the second is the right side.

[0006] The wheel arch has a receiving area in which a front wheel of the passenger car is received or accommodated. The aforementioned front wheel is also referred to as the first front wheel. When the front wheel is mentioned before and below, unless otherwise specified, this refers to the first front wheel. For example, a passenger car in its fully manufactured state has at least or exactly two axles, namely a first axle and a second axle. The axles are arranged consecutively in the longitudinal direction of the passenger car, and thus one behind the other, in particular such that the second axle is connected to the rear of the first axle in the longitudinal direction. Thus, the second axle is a rear axle, and the first axle is a front axle. Each axle has, in particular, exactly two wheels.The wheels of each axle are located on opposite sides of the vehicle in the transverse direction of the car. The wheels of the front axle are the front wheels, meaning the aforementioned first wheel is one of the front wheels. The wheels are the ground contact elements of the car, which can be supported or rests against the ground via these ground contact elements in the vertical direction of the car. When the car is driven along the ground while supported downwards by these ground contact elements, the ground contact elements roll along the ground, particularly directly.

[0007] The wheel arch features a first longitudinal member extending inwards in the transverse direction of the passenger car, adjacent to the mounting area, such that, in the fully assembled state of the passenger car, the front wheel is at least partially overlapped inwards by the first longitudinal member. The longitudinal member runs, in particular at least substantially, longitudinally in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. The wheel arch also features a portion of a front wall extending rearwards in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and outwards in the transverse direction to the first longitudinal member, such that, for example, the first longitudinal member extends forwards from the front wall in the longitudinal direction of the passenger car.The bulkhead, for example, separates the interior of the passenger car from a longitudinally extending area of ​​the front structure adjacent to the bulkhead, such that the bulkhead is positioned between this area and the interior. This area is, or includes, for example, a compartment in which a drive motor may be located. The drive motor is, or includes, for example, an internal combustion engine. Alternatively or additionally, the drive motor is, or includes, for example, an electric motor. The drive motor can, for example, power the front wheels and / or the rear wheels, particularly electrically. Alternatively or additionally, the area is, or includes, a front storage compartment in which, for example, cargo can be stored.

[0008] The wheel arch features an external body dome extending upwards from the mounting area in the vehicle's vertical direction, which is also referred to as the first structural element. A spring and / or damper element of the passenger car's suspension can be supported or is supported by this body dome. For example, the front wheel can be supported or damped by the spring and / or damper element against the front-end structure. The body dome is also referred to as a spring dome or strut tower, particularly when the spring and / or damper element is designed as a strut. For example, the front wheel can be articulated or connected to the front-end structure via a wheel suspension, in particular in such a way that the wheel suspension allows wheel movements of the front wheel, also known as compression and rebound movements, at least in the vehicle's vertical direction and relative to the front-end structure.

[0009] The wheel arch also features a second longitudinal member, also referred to as the second structural element, arranged vertically above the first longitudinal member. Furthermore, the second longitudinal member connects to the mounting area at the top of the vehicle's vertical direction. The characteristic that the second longitudinal member is arranged vertically above the first longitudinal member means that, viewed vertically, the second longitudinal member is positioned higher than the first. In particular, the second longitudinal member extends, at least substantially, longitudinally in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. Specifically, the front wheel is at least partially overlapped by the second longitudinal member at the top of the vehicle's vertical direction. In particular, the front wheel is at least partially overlapped by the portion of the front bulkhead at the rear of the vehicle's longitudinal direction.This part of the frontal wall is also referred to as the frontal wall section.

[0010] In order to achieve particularly advantageous crash behavior of the front-end structure and thus of the passenger car as a whole, the invention provides that the wheel arch has a protective element that is separate from the front bulkhead, the longitudinal member, and the structural components, and thus separate from the second longitudinal member and the body dome. This protective element is designed as a solid body and is inherently rigid, i.e., dimensionally stable. The protective element is attached to at least or exactly one of the structural components by means of a fastening device. Viewed in a plane perpendicular to the transverse direction of the passenger car, the protective element is arc-shaped, in particular such that, viewed in this plane, the protective element curves away from the receiving area.Thus, viewed in a plane, the protective element is concave on its side facing the receiving area, so that, viewed in a plane, the protective element is convex on its side facing away from the receiving area. The protective element extends upwards, at least in the vehicle's vertical direction, to the receiving area, so that, for example, the front wheel is at least partially overlapped by the protective element. Furthermore, it is conceivable that the protective element also extends rearwards in the vehicle's longitudinal direction to the receiving area, so that, for example, the front wheel is at least partially overlapped by the protective element rearwards. The protective element is positioned at least partially between the receiving area and the second longitudinal member. Furthermore, the protective element is positioned, for example, at least partially between the receiving area and the body strut tower.Since the protective element is arc-shaped, at least in the plane, it is crescent-shaped when viewed in the plane, hence its designation as a protective crescent or sickle. Due to an impact force on the front-end structure caused by an accident, particularly one acting longitudinally from front to rear, the protective element can be displaced rearward and downward between the mounting area and the bulkhead when viewed longitudinally, due to failure of the mounting device. This impact force results, for example, from a frontal collision, also known as a head-on collision, in which, for instance, a crash barrier impacts the front-end structure from front to rear.As a result of the impact force, the fastening device fails, releasing the protective element and causing it to shift rearward and downward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle relative to the structural components, the bulkhead, and the first longitudinal member. This shift, occurring relative to the bulkhead, the first longitudinal member, and the structural components, pushes the protective element rearward and downward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, between the bulkhead section and the mounting area. Consequently, the protective element comes to rest between the front wheel and the bulkhead section. Particularly when the impact force results from a frontal collision, it also causes, for example, a rearward displacement of the front wheel, which is thus moved toward the bulkhead section.In this case, the front wheel can be supported on the front wall section by means of the protective element that has been displaced due to the accident, so that an advantageous absorption and distribution of accident-related loads can be achieved by the protective element.

[0011] The invention is based in particular on the understanding that the front wall section, considered in isolation, is a flat membrane whose stiffness is either low or can only be made high at a very high cost and with significant weight. The invention prevents excessive deformation of the front wall section in the event of an accident, thereby preventing excessive intrusion, especially towards the interior, by sliding the protective element between the mounting area and the front wall section, and thus between the front wheel and the front wall section, during an accident. This allows the protective element to advantageously transfer accident-related loads acting on it to structures located behind it, including, for example, the front wall section itself, but also other structures, thus distributing these accident-related loads effectively.This prevents excessive, accident-related stress on the bulkhead. In particular, a frontal collision is defined as a low-width collision where, for example, the impact barrier covers less than 50%, and especially less than 30%, of the front-end structure's width in the transverse direction of the vehicle, specifically on the side of the front wheel. Traditionally, there is a significant difference in stiffness between the bulkhead and a side sill (also known as a rocker panel) that extends outwards from the bulkhead in the transverse direction of the vehicle. If no countermeasures are taken, the front wheel and thus its rim, a swivel bearing, or a brake caliper could potentially detach the sill from the bulkhead, which can be undesirable.A connection between the sill and the front wall section is formed, for example, by welding and / or bolting, whereby, if no countermeasure is taken, any difference in stiffness in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is not compensated or equalized. A resulting change in stiffness can lead to undesirable effects in the event of a frontal collision, especially with a small overlap. The aforementioned problems and disadvantages can be avoided in a particularly advantageous manner by the invention. The protective element is a crescent-shaped geometry, at least when viewed in the plane, which extends upwards in the vertical direction of the vehicle from the receiving area, is arranged between the receiving area and the second longitudinal member, and is attached to the at least one component by means of the fastening device.This frees up space in the wheel arch for the tire casing, allowing the front wheel to move advantageously within the wheel arch, for example, by steering and suspension compression and rebound. As a result of the impact force, the fastening device is destroyed, for example, by shearing, thereby breaking the connection between the protective element and at least one structural component. Consequently, the impact force pushes the protective element backward and downward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, particularly along the second longitudinal member, between the mounting area and the bulkhead section, thus ensuring an advantageous load distribution, especially between the bulkhead section and the sill.This allows an accident-related load to be advantageously distributed over a larger area, especially on the front wall section and the sill, thereby avoiding undesirable accident-related effects.

[0012] To achieve a particularly advantageous accident behavior, it is provided that the wheel housing has a wheel housing lining that is designed separately from the protective element and preferably also separately from the front wall, separately from the first longitudinal member and separately from the structural elements, and which is arranged between the receiving area and the protective element.

[0013] To achieve a particularly advantageous accident behavior, it is provided that the protective element is completely overlapped and thus covered by the repositioning towards the receiving area.

[0014] To achieve a particularly advantageous, accident-induced displacement of the protective element and thus advantageous accident behavior, one embodiment of the invention provides that the fastening device comprises at least one or more screw elements. Each screw element is, for example, designed as a screw. The screw element has, for example, an advantageously small diameter, such that the screw shears off under or is subjected to the accident-induced force and thus fails. This allows the screw element to displace the protective element as described between the front wall section and the receiving area, and preferably between the sill and the receiving area, thereby enabling an advantageous load distribution.

[0015] In order to achieve a particularly advantageous accident behavior, a further embodiment of the invention provides that the protective element is made of a metallic material.

[0016] In a further, particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the wheel arch lining is made of a plastic.

[0017] Finally, achieving particularly advantageous crash behavior has proven especially beneficial if the front-end structure exhibits a signal threshold value extending outwards in the transverse direction of the vehicle to the section of the bulkhead, whereby the protective element is also displaceable between the mounting area and the side sill due to the impact force during a crash, even if the fastening device fails. This allows for a particularly advantageous distribution of loads, especially those resulting from a crash, between the bulkhead section and the side sill, thus enabling particularly advantageous crash behavior.

[0018] A second aspect of the invention relates to a passenger car, also referred to as a vehicle, motor vehicle, or automobile, whose interior, also referred to as passenger compartment, passenger cell, or cabin, is formed by a body, in particular a self-supporting body. The body has a front-end structure according to the first aspect of the invention. Advantages and advantageous embodiments of the first aspect of the invention are to be regarded as advantages and advantageous embodiments of the second aspect of the invention, and vice versa.

[0019] Further details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment with the accompanying drawings. These show: Fig. 1. A schematic and cutaway side view of a passenger car, the body of which has a front-end structure; and Fig. 2. A schematic, cutaway, and perspective front view of the front-end structure.

[0020] In the figures, identical or functionally equivalent elements are provided with the same reference symbols.

[0021] Fig. Figure 1 shows a partial schematic and cutaway side view of a passenger car 1, also referred to as a vehicle, motor vehicle, or automobile, whose interior 2, also referred to as passenger compartment, passenger space, or cabin, is formed by a body 3 of the passenger car 1 designed as a self-supporting structure. The body 3 has a front-end structure 4, which is in Fig. 2 is shown in part in a schematic and perspective front view.

[0022] The passenger car 1 has exactly two axles arranged consecutively in the longitudinal direction of the passenger car 1, namely a first axle 5 and a second axle not visible in the figures. Each axle is also simply referred to as a vehicle axle. Each axle has exactly two wheels, which are also simply referred to as wheels. The wheels of each axle are located on opposite sides of the passenger car 1, and thus on opposite sides of the body 3 and the front structure 4, in the transverse direction of the passenger car 1. The longitudinal direction of the vehicle is illustrated by a double arrow 6. The transverse direction of the vehicle is illustrated by a double arrow 7 and runs perpendicular to the plane of the figure. Fig. 1. One of the vehicle wheels on axle 5 is in Fig. 1 is recognizable and labelled 8. One of the sides of the passenger car 1 is, in relation to a person's view running from back to front along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, a left side, so that the other side is a right side of the passenger car 1. Fig. Figure 1 shows the passenger car 1 from the left side, so that the vehicle wheel 8 is a left front wheel of the vehicle axle 5 designed as a front axle.

[0023] The front structure 4 has a wheel housing 9 in which the vehicle wheel 8 is at least partially accommodated. For this purpose, the wheel housing 9 has a receiving area 10 in which the vehicle wheel 8 is at least partially accommodated. In the transverse direction of the passenger car 1, a recess adjoins the receiving area 10 in the Fig. The first longitudinal member 11 of the wheel housing 9, and thus of the front-end structure 4, is clearly visible. In the longitudinal direction of the passenger car 1, a part 12 of a front wall 13 of the front-end structure 4 adjoins the mounting area 10, with the wheel housing 9 comprising part 10. Part 12 is also referred to as the front wall section. It can be seen that part 12 adjoins the first longitudinal member 11 outwards in the transverse direction of the passenger car 1. The wheel housing 9 also has a body dome 15 extending upwards from the mounting area 10 in the vertical direction of the passenger car 1, on which a spring and / or damper element of the passenger car 1's suspension is supported. The vehicle wheel 8 is supported on the front-end structure 4 by means of the spring and / or damper element.The body dome 15 is also referred to as the first component or is a first component of the front-end structure 4. The wheel arch 9 also has a second longitudinal member 14 arranged in the vehicle's vertical direction above the first longitudinal member 11, which connects upwards to the mounting area 10 in the vehicle's vertical direction. The body dome 15 also connects upwards to the mounting area 10 in the vehicle's vertical direction. The longitudinal member 14 is also referred to as the second component or is a second component of the front-end structure 4. The vehicle's vertical direction is illustrated by a double arrow 20.

[0024] In order to achieve particularly advantageous crash behavior of the front-end structure 4 and thus of the passenger car 1 as a whole, the wheel arch 9 and thus the front-end structure 4 feature a protective element 16 that is separate from the bulkhead 13, separate from the first longitudinal member 11, and separate from the structural components, i.e., separate from the longitudinal member 14 and separate from the body dome 15. This protective element is arc-shaped and thus crescent-shaped when viewed in a plane perpendicular to the transverse direction of the vehicle. This plane coincides with the image plane of Fig. 1 together. The protective element 16 is attached to the body dome 15 by means of a fastening device 17. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the fastening device 17 is formed exclusively by screw elements 18 designed as screws, by means of which the protective element 16 is screwed to the body dome 15 and thus attached to the body dome 15. In Fig. Figure 1 shows a starting position AS of the protective element 16 by a solid line. Furthermore, in Fig. Figure 1 shows a protective position SS of the protective element 16 by a dashed line. In the initial position AS, where the protective element 16 assumes the initial position AS in a normal state of the passenger car 1, which is the normal state in its fully manufactured state and in particular when the passenger car 1 has not yet been subjected to an accident-related force, the protective element 16 connects to the receiving area 10 upwards in the vehicle's vertical direction and also to the rearwards in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, wherein in the initial position AS the protective element 16 is arranged at least partially between the receiving area 10 and the longitudinal member and, for example, between the receiving area 10 and the body dome 15.For example, a frontal collision resulting in a rearward-acting, accident-induced force on the front structure 4, when the fastening device 17 fails due to the accident-induced force, causes the protective element 16 to shift downwards and rearwards from its initial position AS to its protective position SS, and thus between the receiving area 10 and the front wall section. Fig.Figure 2 shows that the front structure 4 has a side sill 19, also referred to simply as a sill, which extends outwards in the transverse direction of the vehicle to part 12 of the front wall 13. The protective element 16 is also displaceable between the receiving area 10 and the side sill 19 due to the impact force. If the vehicle wheel 8 is displaced rearwards in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle due to the impact force and thus moved towards part 12 and the side sill 19, the protective element 16 is located between the vehicle wheel 8 and an area encompassing part 12 and the side sill 19, against which the vehicle wheel 8 can be supported or is supported by means of the protective element 16.This allows accident-related loads to be distributed particularly advantageously between part 12 and the side sill 19 by means of the protective element 16, so that excessive accident-related loads on part 12 can be avoided. This ensures particularly favorable accident behavior.

[0025] The fastening device 17 fails due to the impact force, in particular by shearing off all of the screw elements 18 of the fastening device 17. This occurs, for example, when the impact force acts in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from front to rear on the protective element 16 and, via this, on the screw elements 18, causing the screw elements 18 to shear off. As the impact force continues, the protective element 16 is displaced as described, guided, for example, by the longitudinal member 14 during its displacement.

Claims

[1] Front structure (4) for a body (3) of a passenger car (1), with at least one wheel arch (9) comprising: - a receiving area (10) for receiving a front wheel (8) of the passenger car (1); - a first longitudinal member (11) extending inwards in the transverse direction of the vehicle to the receiving area (10); - a part (12) of a front wall (13) of the front structure (4) extending rearward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle to the receiving area (10) and outward in the transverse direction of the vehicle to the first longitudinal member (11); - a body dome (15) extending upwards in the direction of vehicle height from the receiving area (10) as the first component; - a second longitudinal member (14) as a second structural element, arranged in the vehicle's vertical direction above the first longitudinal member (11) and extending upwards in the vehicle's vertical direction to the receiving area (10); and - a protective element (16) formed separately from the end wall (13), separately from the first longitudinal beam (11) and separately from the structural elements and attached to at least or exactly one of the structural elements by means of a fastening device (17), which: ◯ is arc-shaped; extends upwards at least in the vehicle's vertical direction to the receiving area (10) and is arranged between the receiving area (10) and the second longitudinal member (14); and ◯ is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle between the receiving area (10) and the part (12) of the front wall (13) due to an accident-related force on the front structure (4) under failure of the fastening device (17) caused by the accident-related force; characterized by , that: - the wheel housing (9) has a wheel housing lining designed separately from the protective element (16), which is arranged between the receiving area (10) and the protective element (16); and - the protective element (16) is completely overlapped and thus covered by the wheel arch lining towards the receiving area (10). [2] Front structure (4) according to claim 1, characterized by that the fastening device (17) has exclusively at least one screw element (18) or exclusively several screw elements (18). [3] Front body structure (4) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that the protective element (16) is made of a metallic material. [4] Front-end structure (4) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the wheel arch liner is made of a plastic. [5] Front-end structure (4) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the front structure (4) has a side sill (19) extending outwards in the transverse direction of the vehicle to the part (12) of the front wall (13), wherein the protective element (16) is also displaceable between the receiving area (10) and the side sill (19) due to the force applied in the accident, with failure of the fastening device (17). [6] Passenger car (1) with a body (3) which has a front structure (4) according to any of the preceding claims.

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